About Us

We are the authors Sierra Wolfe, Tierney O'Malley, Wendy Ely, Alisha Paige, Mark Alders, Kate Davison, and Gracen Miller. Welcome to our blog. We hope to entertain and inform you. This is where we will share our writing journeys and life experiences, and maybe, share a bit of wisdom we pick up along the way. We hope you enjoy it!

About Gracen

Gracen is a hopeless daydreamer masquerading as a "normal" person in southern society. When not writing, she's a full-time basketball/football/guitar mom for her two sons and a devoted wife to her real-life hero-husband. She's addicted to writing, paranormal romance novels and movies, Alabama football and coffee…addictions are not necessarily in order of priority. She is convinced coffee is nectar from the gods and blending coffee and writing together generates the perfect creative merger. Many of her creative worlds are spawned from coffee highs. To learn more about Gracen or to leave her a comment, visit her website at www.gracenmiller.com.

Gracen's Books

About Kate

I like to read and write just about anything. But I am a sucker for a Happily-Ever-After. I need to know characters ride off into the sunset and all is right in their world. That's why I chose romance instead of another category. HEA's aren't always promised in other genres, though I do read them too.
Most of the time you'll find me at the keyboard, moving between the 5 projects I tackle at a time.

Kate's Books

About Alisha

I write paranormal, magic realism, fantasy, erotic and vintage romance. I live in a haunted house built in the 50s and love to drink red wine and eat dark chocolate while sitting in the swing out back. I love to watch my children play in the sandbox while my dogs wrestle on the grass. Does life get any better? It's the simple things in life I cherish.

Alisha's Books

About Wendy

Writing is an adventure I started at a young age but never took it serious until last year. My focus is on contemporary romance and have two books coming out later this year. Besides writing, I run a childcare, attend college, and am a single mom. Life isn't boring for me!

Followers

Friday, July 31, 2009

Same time last year, we were in Ireland (wearing sweaters and not suffering from a heat wave in Seattle). With Tom Tom sitting on the dashboard, a portable GPS car navigation system device, we drove around Ireland (with my husband driving on the wrong side of the road). If you are planning on driving in a foreign county, I highly suggest that you get a GPS. Most of the time it helped us find our destination, but I am warning you, there were times when Natalie (voice in GPS) sent us on a totally different road because she couldn’t recognize the new roads. (Getting lost in the middle of nowhere was frightening and exciting) So we had to depend on the old faithful Atlas and road signs. Road signs were written in Irish and English. Pretty cool.

Ireland was everything I thought it to be—beautiful. The rolling hills, green pasture dotted with sheep, cows, blue sky, and miles and miles of land with no cars or houses in sight made me feel closer to heaven. I tell you, it was remarkable to be in a place where no man-made noises could be heard. It was quiet, peaceful, and sublime.

While there, we decided to visit Howth Castle. Legend has it that the pirate Grace O'Malley attempted to pay a courtesy visit to the 8th Baron Howth. She was told that the gates were closed against her. She got mad. In retaliation, she abducted the grandson and heir, the 10th Baron demanding that the gates must be kept open to unexpected visitors.

The castle was not open to the public when we got there. My husband asked a staff member if it was true about the extra plate set on the dining table for Grace O’Malley. The man said yes. The hearsay about anyone bearing an O’Malley name is welcome to the Howth—we don’t know. The man we talked to joked that we have to prove we are related to Grace O’Malley to gain access to the castle.

Since we had our rental car, we were able to visit places Ireland was famous for. Like the Portal Tomb and Cliffs of Moher, pubs, markets, and local places. Oh yeah, kids could go inside the pub with the adults. My kids thought it awesome.

Tour buses loaded with tourists in Ireland came to visit the famous Portal Tombs. We drove for miles and miles just to see this tomb. And I tell you, it was well worth it.

Before we left the US, my mother in-law asked us to visit Clifden, the place where my husband’s ancestors came from, to see if we could find information about the O’Malleys and perhaps fill in the missing pieces on the family genealogy. We found the parish and were surprised to see this sign:

I laughed when I saw this. We took the time to get to Clifden only to find that what we were hoping to accomplish was also right in U.S. of A—Utah.

So if you’re an Irish living in US and wish to trace your family history, you can go online and visit www.familyreasearch.org or go to Family History Library in Utah. Definitely cheaper than flying to Ireland. :)

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Seeing as I am submitting my fantasy novels to Australian publishers at the moment, I came across this:

The Weekend Australian ( July 15-16 2006) submitted Patrick White’s Eye of the Storm, one of Australian literature’s most lauded novels to 10 Australian publishers, and not one of them expressed interest. If Patrick White cannot get published, you have to ask yourself what chance you really have!

*sigh*

Seems I have no chance at all. From the response I’ve had to the queries I have put out, seems Australian publishers aren’t interested in my work either…then again…at least I got a response from one of the publishers I queried.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

I have been deep in edits lately but bring you two pieces of good news. The first one is Jesse's Brother is up for a Covey Award. Please stop on by the site and vote for #7 http://thenewcoveycoverawards.blogspot.com/

The other part is Valley of the Sun Romance Writers (a chapter of RWA) is having their annual Hot Prospect Contest. This is a great way to get your book in the editor's hands!

Hot Prospect info:

Looking to sign your first book contract, switch from a small press to a largepublisher or simply explore another genre of romantic fiction? Turn up the heaton your writing career with the Hot Prospects Contest.

Fee: $25 for Valley of the Sun RW chapter members$30 for non-chapter members

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

I'm in a HORRIBLE mood, so bad really that I shouldn't be blogging about it but today's my blog day so here it goes. Wicked Thorn and Roses was originally created to showcase the erotic works of all the bloggers here but I know sometimes we chat about other stuff because we can't talk about our works all day long and because we're human, right? We don't dream of sex all day long, write sex, have sex and cook food that only makes us want to have more sex once we consume it, right? Or am I wrong? Feel free to correct me. This is something that I'm sure other erotic romance authors have come into contact with as well, but rarely discuss just because it's so stupid and unnecessary. However, I'm extra bitchy today so I'm gonna mention it.

How many of you out there write erotic stories, poetry, romances, blogs or even just enjoy reading it....and the rest of the "normal world", those that think "sex" is a dirty word and apparently only for making babies....well, those folks like to be a tad JUDGEMENTAL about your work? For example, they like to make crazy ass statements and pretend they are your shrink or priest or heaven forbid, YOUR MOTHER.

Let me be more specific. Now, raise your hand if you've recently been to a family function and one of your in-laws...it's usually an in-law....one of those lovely creatures...yeah, right.....pipes up and says something like this, "Oh, I tried to read your book but I know it was REALLY about you and my brother and I was so grossed out." First of all, that says two things to me. Number one, I'm too disgusting of a human to imagine another human wanting to make love to me. It could be me age, though. And I'm not that old...this lovely little gem rolled off the tongue of my 25 year old sister-in-law who married a toothless man 15 years older than her who works in a head shop. Maybe if she gets high enough, she won't have to think about it all or think about my dirty sex novels.

Secondly, it tells me that she assumes I'm not creative enough to invent my own story world so I only write about my own sexual experiences. She told me over and over again how disgusted she was and then did this shudder thing with her body. Her mother agrees but two of the aunts love my books and treat me like a star when I visit. I took them my lastest book last time I went and I saw my mother-in-law and sister-in-law whispering and giving me church lady stares.

By the way, Michael (my husband) grew up in this church where all the elders could spank him, the preacher had his way with any of the women and the children were dragged across a table of water for cleansing if they said shit or any curse word. My oldest sister-in-law told me the story of how they did this to her and soaked her panties for saying shit when she was five! The women had to wear skirts to their ankles. Michael still has issues if I wear a short skirt today and I'm not talking a mini skirt. I'm talking about a skirt that goes to my knees.

And I come waltzing into this family, this romance author who writes in many genres including...gasp....erotica! Put it this way, I don't do well when they play Bible Trivia. Michael can kick all their asses though so I just sit back and watch. I think I only know like three Bible verses by heart because I'm too busy thinking about sex all day long and God doesn't like sex. Must be some ridiculous invention from the dark ages, before television came along. Probably has something to do with worshipping Satan or something.

Michael rebelled in a big way. He refused to cut his hair, covered his arms in tats and wore shirts that say Fuck Off. His mom was not happy. Oh..and the icing on the cake, he moved in with the girl next door...a girl who writes erotica, wears make-up and skirts that don't drag the floor. We had a baby out of wed lock and then another...and then I go and write about our sex life. I wrote so much shit that it turned into several books with warning labels. I just had to get all the words onto paper so I could heal myself from my affliction. And then it was my goal in life to embarrass my in-laws and form alliances with the cool aunts who love my stuff. I really work for the Devil now and my what a ride it has been. I better stop blogging about this nonsense so I can go write some more dirty, nasty, slutty stuff so my sister-in-law can talk about me as she sucks from her bong tonight, wishing she was having hot sex.

Sigh...thank you all you wicked bloggers...I feel much better. My how I hate judgemental, hateful, spiteful, know-it-alls.

Have an extra naughty Tuesday and jump your honey's bones when he or she strolls through the door tonight.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Announcing the great new release from Kissa Starling, Carl’s Story. Available from Red Rose Publishing on July 23, 2009.

A poor body image and public play at the Dungeon don't mix so what's a submissive to do?

Sylvie and Carl used to be prominent play partners at the dungeon. Fast forward to three kids later and Sylvie is ashamed of her once perfect body. Carl understands that restoring her self confidence is his responsibility but he's not sure how to do it. When her body issues affect their marriage he knows that it's time for drastic action. An upcoming birthday provides him not only with the perfect time but the perfect solution to their problems as well...

Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Crystal Jordan

Love can drive you over the edge. It can also let you fly.

An In The Heat of the Night story.

Pixie Parthon worked hard to make her music production company a success. Anyone who gets in her way gets the business end of her Fae magic. Her savvy business sense kept her family afloat for years, but now that her musician brother is mated and off on a world tour she’s feeling left in the dust.

Maybe it was a faint wish for a little love magic for herself, but she didn’t expect one night of cutting loose to leave her marked for life. A little love bite is one thing. Give up her hard-won independence to a pushy alpha werewolf? She’ll pass.

Malcon is just as shocked as Pixie, but for a different reason. From the moment he saw her, his desire went far beyond getting into her pants. When she agreed—begged—to be bitten, he believed she also sensed their destiny to be mates.

Now it’s too late. Nothing will convince Pixie that he has no intention of clipping her wings—not even a month’s worth of orgasms on call. Crazy as it sounds, love is all he wants from her. Even if it means letting her go…

Craven and Anthony find themselves in a cauldron of trouble while spying on Beresford Hall. A man in a black hood has routed them while they spied, and now he’s escorted them to the manor and secluded them in separate rooms.

I went into this story thinking it was a quick read (a novella I believe with a total of 44 pages), and I could get through it quickly because gay romance hasn’t been my thing so far. No offense to the gay romance writers out there, I’ve not read any that entertained me…until now. After reading Keta’s m/m gay fiction, it has me wondering if she has any f/f gay fiction.

Again, Keta drew me in and I couldn’t tear myself away. From almost the beginning, she had me holding my breath when Craven and Anthony are caught by the hooded figure on Beresford’s property. The way Keta breathes life into her characters is fabulous. From the sexy mysterious Dominic Beresford to the unassuming student Craven, I was hooked from page one. I loved both characters, Dominic and Craven, equally. What I found very poignant was how vulnerable both Dominic and Craven were. Even though Dominic came from money, had a title and property, he was still longing for that special someone and was unsure how Craven would accept him in the end.

Carnal Cravings was a great read from beginning to end, spicy hot, but you’re forewarned, if you don’t enjoy gay fiction, then skip it. But if you do, pick it up and be prepared to love it as much as I did. Because I loved it so much, I gave Keta 4 out 4 Skulls and Roses!!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Here’s a flash fiction story I did a while ago and instead of sitting on my hard drive gathering pixels I thought I’d post it here for others to enjoy.

Connecting Bodies

I simply must feel the connection.

As I am placed upon the beast with tender care, that familiar feeling begins. It wells up inside me as if a waking memory, for I know what will come next and it gives me great pleasure.

Then the journey begins and it is wonderful. So liberating, so rewarding.

The warmth of their bodies upon me, so reassuring, so reaffirming that it gives me purpose. I need to be given a reason, a function. To have this is my soul.

The scent of them both as they travel with me is exhilarating. Their joy is my joy. Call it symbiotic, call it whatever. I am happy.

The man and the beast are my friends, for they need me as much as I need them. That is the way it is. That is the way it has always been. For that I am thankful.

The elation I feel as I travel with them both, to go to new places or to tread a well worn path. It doesn’t matter. To be used is the salt of my existence. The kindling to my fire. The breath of my life.

I am the glue that binds them together so they can achieve their goal, fulfil their purpose, just as it is mine to have them.

The pressure of the man from above and the beast beneath gives me great joy. It opens up the possibilities of adventure instead of being confined to the dusty darkness.

Then we are away.

The rise and fall of the man upon me once we get going is like a heartbeat pounding out the rhythm of my life. The heat of the beast the warmth that satiates my spirit.

It is a simple but important thing, being the saddle.

The End

Copyright Mark Alders 2008/2009

Second:

In my post last week I asked for people to comment to win a copy of my latest release "Mama's Heart." Well, only Wendy and Alisha (co-authors on this blog) commented. Gee, what a great success that was--not! I can't give-a-way copies to those who are part of this blog...that's not what it's about...so here's the second attempt at me trying to give away my s**t...I mean, stuff for free.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Wicked Thorn and Roses is excited to feature Darren Michaels and Flipside Erotica!

Can you tell us a little about Flipside Erotica? This book is a collection of 24 erotic stories; twelve from the man's point of view and the same 12 from the woman's point of view. The book is printed with two covers, and the reader would literally flip the book over to reader the other point of view. Some of the stories in the book are true, and some of them are fictional. The average story length is about 7 pages.

It sounds like a unique spin on erotica fiction. How did you come up with the idea? When I first started writing stories like these I always wrote from my perspective. I wanted to really stretch myself as a writer, so I tried writing a story from the point of view of the woman. I showed it to a few people and they didn't believe me when I told them that I had written it. I figured that was a good sign I was believeable as a woman, and so the idea was born. I started out by writing just in the mans' point of view and then "translating it" into the woman's, but now I can write freely in either view.

What's one interesting but fun fact about you?My life is one big distraction between fly fishing trips.

Where can readers find your book or more information about you? I have a website set up for the book, and it has a story excerpt, a free "internet only" story for people who have purchased the book, and I am adding audio files that have my voice for the man's side and several different women who have offered to help out. Some are the actual person from the story and some are just friends. The website address is http://www.flipside-erotica.com/

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

I just finished writing a young adult novel set during The Ice Age. I had to research the people, the animals, the climate, etc. I started thinking about how much unnecessary crap we live with every single day. People can exist and thrive on very little. Hey, I should know. I'm a writer...ba boom teesh! But seriously, we can. If you think about it, it's rather sickening how much crap we have today. What do we really need? Well, let's go back in time to ponder this thought. We need a roof over our heads...sometimes...in the ice age...for sure. We need food. We need love. We don't NEED clothes, well, if it's cold we do but we won't die without them. Back in time, people used the entire animal. They even used the bones to make spears to kill more animals. They used the furs for warmth, the meat for food, the teeth and claws to decorate their bodies. They used long hairs to paint on their cave walls.

I know...I sound a little nutty today but I just returned from a camping trip and we camped primitive. And I do mean...PRIMITIVE. Tent camping, no electricity, a hike to the bathroom and we did it with our children. We had to build a fire to cook. We fished. We slept under the stars and listened to the lake waters lap on the shore. I realized how out of touch all of us are with our cell phones, laptops, ipods, television, radios, cars. Going back to nature sometimes can really open your eyes.

Ancient people died earlier too....sometimes. They were more vulnerable...sometimes. In some ways, they were stronger. To think they were born, lived, loved, made love and died all out in the open, all under the stars, under the blazing sun, near oceans and rivers and creeks and in caves....it's so simple and so real. For me, it puts everything into focus.

Now, I don't want to hang out with woolley mammoths or saber tooth tigers or anything but maybe a short trip out into the wild blue yonder will do us all some good and force us to see. I mean really see. Maybe for the first time, we can see a glimpse of what our ancestors saw. True beauty in life, in breath, in waking for the sunrise, in living for the day and loving for the moment.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Her love for two men could save their future. Her secrets could destroy them all.

Recently re-elected Chancellor Collin sur-Gaerig is a rising star on the political scene, and everyone expects he’ll soon be rewarded with an estate and title. He also has a dirty little secret: he’s in love with his manservant, Harral. If anyone—especially the wife he’s expected to take—discovers their affair, all his aspirations will go up in smoke.

The mysterious woman he finds lying half-dead in the street is strong, beautiful, independent…and aroused when she catches him and Harral in a compromising position. As Aelis worms her way past their closely guarded defenses and into their bed, they realize she’s the perfect match for both of them.

But Aelis has a secret of her own, an ex-lover’s blackmail scheme that could get them all killed. To save the men she’s come to love, she’s willing to sacrifice her own happiness, maybe even her life.

Collin’s not about to let that happen. For the first time in his life, he’s willing to risk it all in order to have it all. Even if it means he could lose the man he’s loved for years—and the woman they both want to love forever.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Please welcome, author Patrick Dilloway. He's written a novel entitled, Where You Belong. As you get to know Mr. Dilloway and read about his book and excerpt, ask yourself are you where you belong?

~~~~~

 Tell us about your book?

Where You Belong is the story of Frost Devereaux, orphaned early in life when his mother is killed in a car accident. After this, Frost begins a search for love that leads him to a set of twins—Frankie and her brother Frank. Ultimately Frost’s quest leads him to find his place in the world—where he belongs.

 When/how did you know you wanted to write?

I’ve been writing stories since about third grade. Around seventh grade was when I really started writing novel-length stories. But what I think made me a better writer was in reading good books. It’s so important if you want to be the best to read the best. If you read garbage, well, then garbage in, garbage out as they say.

 How long did it take you to become published?

It’s taken a long time. If my rejection notices were on paper instead of mostly by E-mail I’d have enough to wallpaper my house by now.

What keeps me going, though, is that I legitimately enjoy writing. It’s what I do. Given my lack of talent in just about anything else—music, singing, dancing, painting, drawing, sports, sewing, etc.—it’s pretty much all I can do. There have been a couple of times where I got in a funk and stopped writing for a little while, but I always come back to it because I love it even if agents and publishers don’t love me.

 Who do you count as your literary influences?

My overall favorite has to be the aforementioned John Irving. I’ve read all of his novels, his book of short stories, and even his dull autobiography. I’ve already mentioned my love of “The Cider House Rules,” which is followed closely by “The World According to Garp.” Some of my other favorites are Michael Chabon, whose vocabulary I would kill for; Richard Russo because of his great depictions of small town life; John Updike, whose descriptions could make even the worst story into poetry; Kurt Vonnegut, who could tackle horrible subjects while still making you laugh; and Terry Pratchett, who is just a great storyteller.

 How long does it take for you to write books?

Working about 20 hours a week or so, it took me about three months to write each draft for Where You Belong. There were two drafts, so about six months total.

 Is there any character in your books that you can really relate to?

I think I can relate to all of my characters on some level. I like to say there’s a bit of me in every character. But in this book, I think I do relate to Frost most of all. I’ve always felt like an outsider and so that’s where I think that character came from most of all.

 Do you see yourself writing in the same genre in 10 years? If not then in what genre?

I have no idea what I’ll be doing 10 weeks from now let alone 10 years from now.

 What do you most like about the genre you write?

I think what I like about writing stories like Where You Belong is that they’re far more involved with the character than with a plot. You really have the freedom to get inside the character and get to know him or her because you aren’t worrying so much about action and explosions and so forth.

 What advice do you give to those who are just starting out or trying to become published?

I think there are three important things if you really want to write books. The first is to study your grammar and basic mechanics. If you go to a critique group and don’t know how to use a semicolon you’re going to really look like an amateur. Second is to read—a lot. Preferably when you’re starting you should read in your genre. So if you’re writing romance you should read other romance authors. Not so much to steal their secret moves, but I think it’s helpful so you can see what they’re doing right and—more importantly—what you think they’re doing wrong. The most important advice though is not to give up. If you really want to write books, then don’t let other people take that away from you. Heed good advice when it’s given, but don’t surrender, even when people try to bring you down. Because if you really love to write, then that’s what you should do. Maybe you won’t get paid for it, but some things are more important than money.

 What do you do when preparing to write a story?

After I’ve thought of an idea, usually I write a very rough summary of the plot. This is usually only a page or two long and it’s never exactly what becomes the finished product. The idea though is to refine the basic concept and give me an idea of what I need in terms of characters and settings, which is also helpful for research and such.

 Where do your story ideas come from? Do you use people you know as characters sometimes or even sometimes a certain event from real life happenings?

I don’t think anything that happens in Where You Belong happened to me in real life. I think Frost’s aunt who spends most of her time talking on the phone about soap operas was a compilation of the worst habits of my mom and her sisters, but I don’t think any of the characters are really pulled from real life either. That’s what makes this fiction.

 What is your favorite part of writing?

I think the best part of writing is when you’re finished and you look back and can say, “Hey, I did this.” The second-favorite thing for me is coming up with the ideas and fitting all the jigsaw pieces together. The actual writing part is often less fun, because often you have to fill in the boring details of getting people from Point A to Point B and then to Point C. But when you’re done it’s all worth it because you’ve done something a lot of other people haven’t done.

 Do you have any projects you are currently working on?

Right now I’m working on an old-school sci-fi invasion story called “Liberation Front.” It’s about an invasion from Mars, only in this case the “Martians” are human colonists returning to reclaim their birth world. The main character, one of the Martians, begins to question what her people are doing. The story was largely inspired by the war in Iraq, but I don’t think it’s going to be very political, at least not overtly.

 You just recently were published. How does it make you feel?

Awesome. There’s no better feeling than seeing your book for sale on Amazon, except maybe to see it sitting in the bookstore or better yet, in someone’s hands. Though I suppose winning a prestigious award like a Pulitzer might top that, not that I have to worry about that!

 What will the role of the Internet play in the future of publishing?

I’m not sure that e-books and such will ever overtake print books entirely, but the Internet is certainly making it easier for authors like me to reach out to the public and market their books. I can sit in my bedroom at my computer and type this in my jammies and someone thousands of miles away in China or Argentina can read it. As more authors get savvy about this stuff, it will become even more effective for selling books.

 How do you create your characters? What determines their characteristics and names?

The names I try to have fun with. For instance, the main characters in Where You Belong all have names starting with the letter ‘F.’ In the story before that the characters had names starting with ‘E.’ Other times I’ve borrowed the names of athletes, authors, or just people I know, taking a last name or first name here and there. The personality traits are a little more difficult. Sometimes you have to get into the story itself to see what happens organically. With Where You Belong, I thought it really helped early in the story when Frost and the twins meet in kindergarten, because it established their relationships to each other and the sort of hierarchy that would follow for the next thirty years.

 If you could choose one thing to be remembered by, what would it be?

I’d like to be remembered as a writer of great stories.

 Some authors start out with a plot in mind, others with characters whom they’ll follow to reveal the theme. What works best for you and why?

Anything can inspire my ideas. A name, a title, a character, or a basic premise. From there it’s all about filling in the details. For Where You Belong it occurred to me one day: what if there was a guy so terrible at marriage that he couldn’t make it work with either sex? That’s how it all started. From there I just expanded on this idea that some marriages are just not going to work not because of the genitals of those involved, but because they aren’t compatible for each other spiritually. To me, that’s what’s most important in any marriage.

 What advice would you give aspiring writers on developing dynamic and memorable characters?

I think if you want to have good characters, you need to let them be free to be real people. Real people have flaws and aren’t always perfect, so make your characters reflect that. And try to avoid the cliché, cutouts, the been there-done that archetypes. Seriously, if I have to read about another angst-ridden teenage vampire I’ll scream.

 How long does it take you to complete a book, from the time the idea for the book is conceived, to when you submit it to your editor?

For Where You Belong it took about three months for each draft, working about twenty hours a week on it. There were two drafts so it took about six months for the writing. For the editing I read it about four times and then went back to make changes, which took another two or three months. In between I let a couple of months go by so that I could be fresh when I started the editing. So overall it was about a year.

 What do you do to unwind in your free time?

When I’m not writing, I usually hang out, reading or watching a movie or sports event on TV. When I can I like to walk outside and sometimes take some nature pictures. I have a bunch of pictures on my wall from trips to Maine, New Mexico, and the Grand Canyon.

BLURB: Orphaned at an early age, the closest people in Frost Devereaux's life are the free-spirited Frankie Maguire and her conniving twin brother Frank. Over the years Frost's life takes him from the lush fields of the Mideast to the burning heat of the desert to the sparkling promise of Manhattan. His heart, though, never strays far from the two people who have meant the most to him. Ultimately, Frost must decide where—and with whom—he belongs.

~~~~~

EXCERPT:

I wake up again and the hand is gone, but I’m not alone. I sense a figure lurking in the shadows, hovering there like a ghost. I think at first it’s my mother; unable to speak I revert back to babyhood and whimper in what I hope is a reassuring fashion. The figure, caught, shuffles forward and I see it’s not my mother—it’s my father.

“Hey, kid,” he says. “How you feeling?”

This is a stupid question as I’m in a hospital bed, surrounded by machines with my face wrapped in bandages. He hesitates before taking the seat next to my bed. For what could be a minute or an hour he sits there, staring at me as he searches for something to say.

“It’s too bad about your mother,” he says.

Though not quite four, I understand this means something terrible has happened. I whimper again, this time mournfully. This rattles my father; he twitches uncomfortably in the chair. He doesn’t want to be there and I don’t want him there; I want Mommy. My father was only the man who lived in our barn.

His hand reaches out to touch my forehead, but his skin is sweaty and warm, not the cool, soothing presence of my other visitor’s. I try to move my head to shake it away only to find I can’t. “I’m not going to hurt you, kid,” he says. His hand moves across my forehead to the bandages. He peels these back gently and then leans close to me so that he can see what lies underneath. Whatever it is causes him to quickly pull his hand back, letting the bandages fall into place again.

“Oh shit,” he whispers into the darkness. I’m too young to know the meaning of this expression. Still, from his tone of voice I gather something’s wrong and whimper again. “It’s all right, kid,” he says, trying to sound cheerful. I know he’s lying. I know things aren’t going to be all right. Not ever again.

My father pats my left hand with his. “Hang in there, kid,” he says. He backs away until the shadows swallow him again. He pauses for a moment before making a decision. The door clicks shut. I wait a moment for him to come back, but he doesn’t. Not ever again.

~~~~~~

I hope you enjoyed learning about Mr. Dilloway and his new novel, Where You Belong, as much as I did. And I hope everyone has a wicked weekend! :D

Friday, July 17, 2009

I finally finished my first paranormal novel,Wolf’s Soul: A Midnight Howl Novel. Yes, I changed course and took the path of creating shape shifting, sword swinging, Brugger shooting, totally kick-ass characters. And I had fun doing it. No, I am not giving up on writing contemporary romance. Just trying a new genre :-).

Although this book has romance contents in it, the story centers on the war between two wolf clans, which I truly enjoyed writing. Conjuring a world different from the one I live in is so challenging. I use the word conjuring because that’s how it is, at least for me, to write about a place that as far as I know does not exist. Like magic.

Now that this book is finished, the wait begins. I recently submitted Wolf’s Soul and am anxiously waiting for the publisher’s reply. So the fate of this story is still uncertain. I will definitely share the result—good or not so good—with you all.

For now, I will continue writing the second book of Knight Brothers Series, Wicked Knight: Bors.

Hope you all had the chance to take a peek at my latest book, My Pleasure. This is a short read. An appetizer that Author Keta Diablo described as a HOT little story!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Way back when I was in the seventh grade I started my first romance novel. Can you believe that? I would carry two notebooks around between classes. One notebook was filled with paper just for my novel. I would sit at my desk and scribble the words down as they appeared in my head. The class bell brought disappointment. My writing would have to end for another hour. I loved to write even way back then.

My daughter is twelve and going into the seventh grade. For the past year or so, she's been not far from her own notebook. She loves to write and decided she might want to be an author when she grows up. I never push activities on my kids. I let them pursue whatever interests them. It's interesting to see her having the same passion as I do even though she doesn't let me read her stuff!

So I'm curious, do you have a child totally like you or one that's totally different?? Tell me about your kids!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

My first carnal romance, Voodoo Moon, was released this week as part of The Brood Series at New Concepts. I think I broke every rule when writing this book and now it comes with warming labels, which I LOVE! My mother would be so proud!

Here's the rating that appears in red next to the buy botton on New Concepts' website.Rating: spicy/carnal/interracial/contemporary/historical--adult situations and language, graphic violence. Jacking, masturbation, sexual situation with non-heroine.

Damn! This is not your grandma's romance novel. Actually I went over to my parents' house the other night and took my kids on a night stroll. I told my mother about my latest release and the warning label..okay, well it's a rating but it sounds like a READER BEWARE LABEL to me. When I told my mother about the rating, the only sound I heard was that of crickets chirping...well, okay, it was locusts in the trees...but still...I won't be giving her a copy of this one. She saw after my last release that my writing was taking a "darker" turn. I've always loved writing paranormals but now they border on romantic horror. Can the two even exist together? I think so. What blended genres do you enjoy reading?

I'm fascinated with ghosts too and Voodoo Moon contains the true story of Annie Palmer, owner of Rose Hall Plantation in Montego Bay, Jamaica. I've been to the plantation and believe me, it's pretty creepy. As legend goes, she killed several of her husbands and called many slaves to her room. She had them all killed as well. I used the premise of this legend to build Voodoo Moon while incorporating paranormal elements, magick and voodoo rituals. Have any of you used a true story or legend to build a story? I did this with Nocturnally Vexed as well when I incorporated Jack-the-Ripper into my paranormal romance. I'd love to hear about your story building techniques.

Here's the photos of Rose Hall Plantation from the front and back. Note the back high window where Annie stood every morning giving out orders to her slaves. The first picture is her grave. The slaves built an above ground tomb to ensure that her spirit would not walk the earth. I don't think it worked. There have been many sightings of The White Witch. Her room in particular is extra spooky. Her face has been seen in the bedroom mirror. You can google her name and find many ghost photos.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

It's getting very close for time to go to RWA Nationals in Washington D.C. so I'm not really able to concentrate on a very in-depth blog post today. Apologies. My mind is scattered in about forty directions. (Including the mess I have in my bedroom to clean up.) However, I wanted to show you my new cover for the very first ever, Kate Davison contemporary romantic suspense novel, Tin Gods: Ruins and Relics Book I.

Here's a brief blurb of the book.

No doubt about it—handsome men are trouble.

To Romy Douglass they have been the bane of her existence, starting with the contemptuous relationship she shares with her wealthy, jet-setting father. Her one big romance ended in disaster. Her fiancé emotionally cruel. Trust in men shattered, Romy is leery of entanglements. When the luscious and sexy-eyed Lucius Capri asks if he can share her table at a busy outdoor café, Romy is instantly suspicious of his motives.

Lucius Capri became a government agent because he wanted to be one of the good guys—and because James Bond made it look so damn cool. After ten years in the field, he knows how to play a mark and is confident he knows the trigger to make Romy Douglass spill all her father’s secrets. However, Romy is not at all what he expected from reading her dossier. Instead of the quiet, respectful woman he envisioned, she has a sharp mind and wicked tongue. Two traits Lucius finds irresistible in a woman. She also suspects he didn’t ask to sit with her just to share a little light lunchtime conversation.

And she’s right. He’s been sent by his agency—called simply, the Section, to obtain the priceless statues sent to her by her father. The Section believes her father, Miles, who lives on an island off the coast of South America, called Isla del Sola, is going to use the statues to fund a revolution and topple the sitting president, Luis Gutierrez. The government wants to see Gutierrez remain in power—for now.

Now they're being shot at by the hitman, El Lobizon, and Romy's collection of Tin Gods have been stolen. Love and spywars have never been more dangerous.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Today my boys are competing at a National karate tournament, so we've been in karate mode for several weeks. My boys have been karate practicing fools. The living room furniture has been shoved against the walls for the most part of the month. This happens 3 times a year where my living room turns into a dojo. Both are black belts in karate, the oldest a 3rd degree, my youngest a 1st degree and both are 2008 World Champions. So, they’re goal is to become World Champions again for 2009. LOL At least they have high aspirations and they work hard for it! I’m always a weensy bit nervous because I hate to see them not achieve their dreams or goals, but I also realistically know they cannot always be winners. :-/

An update on my book I mentioned that had been accepted. The contract has been signed and mailed back to the publisher. It also has been renamed from Bloodlines to Elfin Blood. Now, the edits will begin. *bites nails nervously*

Thursday, July 9, 2009

There was a reminder email from the editor on their forum the other day…well, about 2 days ago to be exact, asking where the submissions were for their upcoming gay anthology. Yes, I had put my name down as one of the participants for the anthology. No, I didn’t miss the deadline, I had a completed story, I just totally forgot about when I was supposed to submit it *blushes*

Lucky my beta reader is an understanding fellow, because last night he was bombarded with my stuff. Thankfully my story was pretty much polished and ready to go. *phew* A few minor tweaks here and there and just then I clicked on the send button. My story is now on its way. It’s a good feeling, that’s for sure.

The story I submitted is titled ‘The Phoenix Rises’ it’s a fantasy short story about a young man that encounters a phoenix while hiking in the forest (as he has done all his life). The phoenix turns into a beautiful man, and of course, the young man falls for him. Events turn when a hunter shoots and kills the phoenix, leaving the young man devastated. We all know the phoenix can rise from the ashes, however, what the young man sees return from the dead is not what he expected. Not at all. Will he be able to love the phoenix in the same way again...

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

I'm generally one of those girls that will be sitting around and decide at the spur of the moment to go see a movie, visit the mall, or whatever. Big changes rattle me though and we (kids and I) just had a HUGE lifestyle change.

We did live in a cute three bedroom house on a nice family filled street. We had lived there for almost two years and LOVED it. We had a big back yard the kids didn't play in and I had to mow. We lived right by middle school and elementary school. I even had my own laundry room!

All of the above came with a huge expense and lot of upkeep for me. I was so stressed out and needed to relieve some of that so I could sleep at night again and be happy. I decided we needed to move into an apartment.

Now we are in a two bedroom place. I have to haul the laundry to the laundry room and must listen to neighbor kids play outside my door all the time. Every time someone knocks on my neighbor's door, I think I have a visitor. But we have a pool, no yard for me to maintain, and we are on ground level! There's also lots of eye candy!

I know moving was the right decision but it still had me a bit scared at first. The first night here I went to close the bathroom curtains and found a giant tarantula on my bathroom window! I was sure it was a sign that we shouldn't have given up our house but I got over it.

We might have given up our peaceful house for a smaller place and neighbors but the important stuff is back. A happy life and a week later, I have no regrets and neither do my children!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

I'm sure many of you saw my crazy plea for help last week. I was on deadline for a contest and had serious printer issues at the last minute. I have a happy ending to tell. A fellow writer from New Jersey emailed me and offered to hand deliver my manuscript to Random House! Thank you, Robert E. Lee! You are WONDERFUL!

Check out my new covers coming soon to The Brood Series at New Concepts. Voodoo Moon will release this July and Uncaged will release this November. One of my friends joked about Uncaged looking like a cover for National Geographic...snort! I have to agree. Thoughts?

I hope everyone had a happy Fourth! God Bless America! My kids had a blast swimming and doing fireworks out in the country.

Monday, July 6, 2009

I had a pretty good weekend, for a change :D. I actually got some shopping in, which can be both a good and bad thing. At any rate, I had a good time, and I realized that I had a very non-traditional holiday.

Holiday's were also very important in my family. I can remember as a child, the 4th of July was as fun as Christmas for us kids. It was an all day event. Family came from far and near to my grandma's house and we played games, had a humongous barbeque, made homemade ice cream, and most important of all...watched the fireworks. That's what was important to me at the time. Now that I look back, I know it was the memories that we made that that will live with me forever.

We haven't had a holiday like that in years. Times have certainly changed. This year was especially different. There was no holiday gathering at all. My grandma has been gone for many years, my mom had to work, and I went shopping.

As I said, I had fun, but it didn't feel like a holiday. The only fireworks I saw this year were the one's lighting up the sky as I drove home. To me, it felt like an ordinary weekend. That made me a little sad.

I've been seeing all the pictures my friends have put up displaying their 4th of July fun, and I realized it's been a long time since I've had any real fun like that. There were pictures of barbeques, swimming pools, float trips, camping, all kinds of good times. I haven't done anything really fun like that in years. So, I've made a pact with myself. I'm going to have fun before this summer is over. I'm making a list of all the things I enjoy doing, and I'm going to check off as many as I can.

Camping sounds great, haven't done that in probably 5 years or so. I don't do floating, but I'd go to the river and enjoy a fun day in the sun. A big family barbeque might be nice, if I can gather everyone up from their busy lives. All going on my list.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Jesus, Mary and Joseph it's been a wet spring. My backyard is practically a bog now and my fifty pound golden retrieve mix refuses to have anything to do with the squishy ground just off the back deck. There's just something about rainy weather that dampens not only the ground, but my ability to work and think. It's very difficult to get motivated when the rain patters down. What I really want to do is to curl up in the corner of the couch and read a good book - and not work on my own. Needless to say, this season has not been one of high productivity for me.

Yesterday, the hubster and I were invited to a July 4th cookout at a friend's house in PA. I thought, great, it's going to rain the entire time since NJ has been having afternoon showers daily to rival that of the Florida Gulf Coast. It's awful. However, to my pleasant surprise the sun made an appearance for most of the day, the breeze was cool and inviting. The steaks were succulent and the company awesome. All in all it was a perfect afteroon.

One that inspires ideas and jump starts creativity.

Over the past few years, I haven't really celebrated July 4th. Not because I don't want to, but because I'm either working at the hospital or we haven't been invited anywhere or our friends were busy elsewhere. The last time we did anything it was in 2000 when we went down to the shore, Wildwood, for a comic convention where my hubby and his friends had a table to hock their wares. That excursion brought me second-degree burns on my back and shoulders and unable to wear clothes for about 4 days. Happy times. Happy times.

That too was a gorgeous holiday weekend. Sunny, warm, beautiful. One for dreams and imagination. Back then I only dreamed of being published, sitting on the beach watching the waves curl in off the Atlantic. Now, I have numerous books published and many more under contract. And still the promise of a warm summer day brings with it hope, and dreams. Plenty of fodder for new stories and ideas.

So, I had better get cracking or I'll be next July 4th without much accomplished. But with any luck, and a whole lot of sun, perhaps those dreams and ideas will keep flowing.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

My book, Bloodlines, that I submitted recently, was accepted by the e-publisher!!! Woohoo!! I’m bouncing off the walls with excitement! It’s a paranormal romance, my favorite topic to write and read about. I’ll keep you all updated as I receive more information.

Happy July 4th to all the Americans! I thought I’d give you a few fun facts:

1. There are 30 places throughout the United States of American with the word “liberty” in its name. That’s a lot of Libertys. Iowa has more of these “liberty” places than any other state. Do you know the four cities in Iowa? They are Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.

Friday, July 3, 2009

I think it's okay to write temperamental characters as long as they find redemption at the end of the long journey. –Keta Diablo

Hi Tierney, friends and readers,

Stopping by today to chat a little about characters who fall somewhere between loveable and not so likeable at times. You'll find one of those characters in my Crossroads series. Frank McGuire is a veteran cop turned Private Investigator. He's a rough, take-no-prisoners type of guy, who deals in "perceptions", i.e., he communes with the dead.

Frank's counterpart, Rand Brennan, tempers and softens his brash personality, and one can only hope by the end of the series, Frank will "see the light" and come around to showcase his softer side.

I think it's okay to write temperamental characters as long as they find redemption at the end of the long journey. How about you? Do you like characters who are rough around the edges or do you prefer your characters to walk the line?

Frank McGuire is beginning to think the City has become a melting pot for serial killers. Another maniac is stalking the streets, only this time the deviant isn't tracking Goth girls, but gay college students. Rumors surface that put Frank's life in jeopardy, and somehow he must protect Rand from the carnage about to unfold. What he didn't count on was Rand becoming the killer's next victim.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

My first published book – Night and Day, by Second Wind Publishing – is set in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota and Copenhagen, Denmark with a brief interlude on Prince Edward Island, Canada. My tagline, “It’s midnight in Minnesota and Daybreak in Denmark”, speaks to the fact that Jensen and Anders connect via the internet, each from their own corner of the world.

My work-in-progress, Wild Rose of Scotland, is set at St. Conan’s Kirk on Loch Awe. The first book in the series, Blue Belle of Scotland, takes place in Tobermory, a picturesque old village whose rainbow-colored storefronts are reflected in the waters off the Isle of Mull.

For a writer / innkeeper / restaurateur / pastor’s wife whose life is too busy and complicated to plan a vacation anytime in the foreseeable future, “traveling” to these exotic locales in my mind is like taking a mini-vacation. Hopefully, my readers will also enjoy visiting the quaint spots that provide a backdrop to the adventures of Jensen and Anders and any other of my characters who are lucky enough to find their homes in such beautiful places.

But we all can’t live in Colorado. Nor can we go on vacation all the time. The trilogy of books I’m currently getting ready for publication – Stormy Weather, Waterlily, and Merry-Go-Round – are all set in Osage, Iowa, just 11 miles from where I live. The stage for these books is set with cornfields, cabbage patches, and contented cows grazing in pastures. The secondary characters are small town… well… characters. And it’s not one bit boring. To the contrary, writing about my hometown has been very enlightening.

Looking at my very ordinary world through the eyes of my characters has shed a whole new light on what was once deemed plain. These people see things in my world that I never would have noticed. With their help, I’ve discovered a whole new meaning to the phrase, Beauty in Your Own Backyard. It’s amazing, the things I see when looking through the rose-colored glasses of the three Jones sisters.

So, wherever it is you find yourself, take a look around. Whether you’re reading – or writing – a book set in Windermere, England, Apple Valley, Minnesota, Moonstone Beach, or Weedpatch, California, there are beautiful sights to behold no matter where you go in the world – a simple wildflower, a spectacular sunset, the moon glinting off a lake (or maybe even a mud puddle).

And next time you’re lucky enough to be able to take a vacation to some lovely new location, by all means, take your camera, your moleskin journal, your steno pad, or your Alphasmart. Take photos, record each memory, soak in every ounce of scenic beauty that you can.

All I’m suggesting is that when you come home, keep your camera out. Try looking at your own, everyday world through the eyes of someone who’s seeing those same, familiar haunts for the very first time. Take notice of the extraordinary, and you’ll discover all kinds of unique beauty – right in your own backyard. Learning to see the Cinderella side of your soot and ashes world, to appreciate the sights you take for granted, will make you a better writer, a better mother, a better lover, a better everything under the sun.

Our Sites

About Tierney

Hi! My name is Tierney O'Malley, contemporary and paranormal romance author from the beautiful Pacific Northwest. My publishers are Cobblestone Press, Museitup Publishing, eXtasy Books, and Silver Publishing. I'm excited to join this blog and hope to share you fun and meaningful posts. :D Click here or go to my website http://tierneyomalley.com to learn more about my books or contact me. I would love to hear from you.

Tierney's Books

About Mark

My name is Mark Alders. I live in a house. This house has a street in front of it which is a good thing because if it didn't I wouldn't be able to drive down to the shop and purchase the chocolate I need on a daily basis *giggle* Seriously, I am a mild mannered post office worker by day and an erotic romance writer (mainly male/male) at night. Not much else to say other than, like everyone else, I have bills to pay, a mortgage and family that I love and drive me crazy all at the same time. Oh, and I have a dog, too! See? Average Joe...execpet when I get down and write...then I let my imagination go to places I never knew existed and my characters invade my mind.

Mark's Books

About Sierra

I have an Associates Degree in Nursing and work as a traveling nurse. Although, I miss my family and friends back in Missouri, I enjoy meeting new people and love to travel. Of course, I wouldn’t go anywhere without my wonderful daughter and two rotten dogs. Writing has always been a part of my life, but for many years, I thought it was only a hobby. Finally learning that I couldn’t live without writing my beloved stories, I decided to see where it would take me. Who knows where my next adventure will be? Either in nursing or writing, I will continue to look for new and fun places to explore.